Folding@home Team 56895 and Life with PlayStation - Page 62 - Blu-ray Forum

alan2308 · 05-08-2008, 11:52 PM

Ah yes, the -local flag, still the most amazing placebo effect in folding.

AlaskaDon · 05-08-2008, 11:59 PM

The thing that got my SMP clients running the most stable was installing the loopback adapter. I was occasionally losing work before that, but now it's completely reliable. What exactly is it that the -local flag is supposed to do anyway? I'm using it because everybody said to, but never really knew what it does.

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 12:09 AM

The local flag goes back to the beginning of the console client. The older graphical client used the registry to store its info rather than local files. When the no-nonsense console client came out, one of the main things it allowed was running more than one instance on the same machine. The -local flag was to insure that settings would be taken from local files rather than the registry when used on the same machine as an instance of the graphical client.

The instructions and FAQ's are a bit unclear about it and make it seem that it is needed if running more than 1 instance on a windows machine. However I have ran many SMP rigs under windows without it over the years.

Edit: I would also add that better than 90% of the problems experienced while running WinSMP stem from network issues. If your network connection drops for even a split second, MPI has a brain fart and the client hangs. If you're running Windows, go with static IP's and get a good router.

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 12:21 AM

To follow up on my last post, it is also recomended that you do NOT use the -local flag if running Vista 64. Its in the [H]ard|OCP guide I linked earlier in this thread. I closed the window before copying the URL so I'll have to dig it up again.

reider · 05-09-2008, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan2308

The local flag goes back to the beginning of the console client. The older graphical client used the registry to store its info rather than local files. When the no-nonsense console client came out, one of the main things it allowed was running more than one instance on the same machine. The -local flag was to insure that settings would be taken from local files rather than the registry when used on the same machine as an instance of the graphical client.

The instructions and FAQ's are a bit unclear about it and make it seem that it is needed if running more than 1 instance on a windows machine. However I have ran many SMP rigs under windows without it over the years.

Edit: I would also add that better than 90% of the problems experienced while running WinSMP stem from network issues. If your network connection drops for even a split second, MPI has a brain fart and the client hangs. If you're running Windows, go with static IP's and get a good router.

Alan, Windows Vista clients are totally immune to network interruptions; only the older Win OS's often suffer from the problem you describe and they do require loopback adapter to emulate uninterpretable network connection. The -local flag is necessary from my experience. It allows one out of the clients to kill its cores properly during intentional or unintentional shutdown. I've endured serious stability issues before I started using this flag on dual SMP quad box with WinXP pro OS... now no problems at all.

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reider

Alan, Windows Vista clients are totally immune to network interruptions; only the older Win OS's often suffer from the problem you describe and they do require loopback adapter to emulate uninterpretable network connection. The -local flag is necessary from my experience. It allows one out of the clients to kill its cores properly during intentional or unintentional shutdown. I've endured serious stability issues before I started using this flag on dual SMP quad box with WinXP pro OS... now no problems at all.

Right, Vista has improved the situation a lot, but its still not perfect. The network situation appears to be fixed, but new exciting flaws have been introduced. And as far as stopping one instance while running two, from everything I have read its still a crap shoot, local or not. I dont run Windows myself, but when Tigerbitten says it, I take it as gospel. I figure anyone who is doing 50K PpD at home knows what he's talking about.

Ultimately what we're seeing here is that MPI is unix software hacked to run on Windows and the result is it still sucks. It is rediculous that people still have to install loopback, affinity changer, mess with their router, and god knows what else is going on. Thank you Stanford for continuing to justify my decision to go Microsoft free 8 years ago.

reider · 05-09-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman

.....
And reider, that's one nice box of whatever it is

Thanks... just had to compensate for the loss of points from a certain server

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reider

Thanks... just had to compensate for the loss of points from a certain server

Now on to whats really important. Have you named it yet?

caliblue15 · 05-09-2008, 01:49 AM

I joined less than a month ago and already cracked the top 300, how long till i get top 200?

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliblue15

I joined less than a month ago and already cracked the top 300, how long till i get top 200?

What name do you fold under?

reider · 05-09-2008, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan2308

...
And as far as stopping one instance while running two, from everything I have read its still a crap shoot, local or not.
...

True, it's still not perfect; but it is significantly better then without the -local flag. I am not making 50K PpD, but probably shut the clients down more often then he is (otherwise he wouldn't be making the 50K

). I have to use that PC for work and shut the clients down on a daily basis.

reider · 05-09-2008, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan2308

Now on to whats really important. Have you named it yet?

No. But my wife calls it "Blu-nightmare"; and also "you're sleeping on the couch" when she first saw the receipts.

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reider

... "you're sleeping on the couch" ...

I'm looking to upgrade a couple boxes here. Got any tips?

reider · 05-09-2008, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan2308

I'm looking to upgrade a couple boxes here. Got any tips?

Yes... - brace for impact!

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 02:16 AM

True that. But I'm sure that I'll be happy just to get my PPD back to where it was before the Chimp Challenge started. All the consecutive zeros are stressing me out. But on the other hand check out these 4 usernames

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.c...lenge_2008.php

reider · 05-09-2008, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan2308

True that. But I'm sure that I'll be happy just to get my PPD back to where it was before the Chimp Challenge started. All the consecutive zeros are stressing me out. But on the other hand check out these 4 usernames

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.c...lenge_2008.php

Your guy is loosing!

How come??

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reider

Your guy is loosing!

How come??

A couple of reasons actually. Mostly more willingness on MaxPC's part to change their boxes over to a new name. MaxPC also has a few ringers helping out. Its all good though, its all in fun, and MaxPC has a bunch of good guys on their side.

But what really matters is that production is up across the board. OCAU has gained over 100K PPD since it started with new and inactive folders firing up to help out their team. Now lets hope they can keep a significant percentage of them. Plus the cross forum trash talk has been fun. My browser has had a tab open to all four forums all week.

alan2308 · 05-09-2008, 02:34 AM

And.... This isn't over by a long shot.

phlydude · 05-09-2008, 04:03 PM

Well, I spoke too soon. The wife killed the PC last night before heading to her mom's for the weekend. When she turned it off, she said "Oh my God, it is so quiet in here now!" Yeah, I was on the phone with her when she did it and asked it she turned off the folding machine...she said, yes...waste of power. DOH!! Can't do too much about that from Buenos Aires...
But I don't think she touched the PS3 so I'll still pick up points...just not as many until Tuesday.

alan2308 · 05-10-2008, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phlydude

Well, I spoke too soon. The wife killed the PC last night before heading to her mom's for the weekend. When she turned it off, she said "Oh my God, it is so quiet in here now!" Yeah, I was on the phone with her when she did it and asked it she turned off the folding machine...she said, yes...waste of power. DOH!! Can't do too much about that from Buenos Aires...
But I don't think she touched the PS3 so I'll still pick up points...just not as many until Tuesday.

That sucks man. Better get that stick good and sharpened....

05-09-2008, 12:09 AM	#1223
alan2308 Active Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Detroit	The local flag goes back to the beginning of the console client. The older graphical client used the registry to store its info rather than local files. When the no-nonsense console client came out, one of the main things it allowed was running more than one instance on the same machine. The -local flag was to insure that settings would be taken from local files rather than the registry when used on the same machine as an instance of the graphical client. The instructions and FAQ's are a bit unclear about it and make it seem that it is needed if running more than 1 instance on a windows machine. However I have ran many SMP rigs under windows without it over the years. Edit: I would also add that better than 90% of the problems experienced while running WinSMP stem from network issues. If your network connection drops for even a split second, MPI has a brain fart and the client hangs. If you're running Windows, go with static IP's and get a good router. Last edited by alan2308; 05-09-2008 at 12:13 AM.

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05-08-2008, 11:52 PM	#1221
alan2308 Active Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Detroit	Ah yes, the -local flag, still the most amazing placebo effect in folding.

05-08-2008, 11:59 PM	#1222
AlaskaDon Special Member Member since:Jan 2007 Location:Tennessee Blu-ray collection:-	The thing that got my SMP clients running the most stable was installing the loopback adapter. I was occasionally losing work before that, but now it's completely reliable. What exactly is it that the -local flag is supposed to do anyway? I'm using it because everybody said to, but never really knew what it does.

05-09-2008, 12:21 AM	#1224
alan2308 Active Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Detroit	To follow up on my last post, it is also recomended that you do NOT use the -local flag if running Vista 64. Its in the [H]ard\|OCP guide I linked earlier in this thread. I closed the window before copying the URL so I'll have to dig it up again.

05-09-2008, 01:49 AM	#1229
caliblue15 Blu-ray Knight Member since:Dec 2007 Home Theater Gallery:12 Blu-ray collection:85 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:6	I joined less than a month ago and already cracked the top 300, how long till i get top 200?

05-09-2008, 02:16 AM	#1235
alan2308 Active Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Detroit	True that. But I'm sure that I'll be happy just to get my PPD back to where it was before the Chimp Challenge started. All the consecutive zeros are stressing me out. But on the other hand check out these 4 usernames http://folding.extremeoverclocking.c...lenge_2008.php

05-09-2008, 02:34 AM	#1238
alan2308 Active Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Detroit	And.... This isn't over by a long shot.

05-09-2008, 04:03 PM	#1239
phlydude Power Member Member since:Mar 2007 Location:Winter Garden, FL USA Playstation ID: phlydude Blu-ray collection:132 Trading Score:1	Well, I spoke too soon. The wife killed the PC last night before heading to her mom's for the weekend. When she turned it off, she said "Oh my God, it is so quiet in here now!" Yeah, I was on the phone with her when she did it and asked it she turned off the folding machine...she said, yes...waste of power. DOH!! Can't do too much about that from Buenos Aires... But I don't think she touched the PS3 so I'll still pick up points...just not as many until Tuesday.

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